Let The Games Begin
by mchammer4
Summary: My names is Mackenzie Maine. I am alone, I am different, I am special.    83rd Hunger Games- rebellion doesn't happen   Better than sounds, please please PLEASE take a look at it!
1. Summary

My name is Mackenzie Maine. I live in district twelve, but I don't belong there. I have a mom and dad who I look nothing alike and instincts that could catch a fly. I am not your average 14 year old. I am special. No one knows where I came from. I was found abandoned by the gate of district twelve. I am Different, I am special, I am alone


	2. The Woods, and The Reaping

Let the Games begin.

**Okay so this is the 83****rd**** Hunger Games as if a rebellion didn't happen because district thirteen was bombed and totally taken out. Yet Katniss and Peeta both still live! And they are married! (Quarter Quell Katniss and Haymitch went in and Katniss won)**

**Disowner: I don't own the Hunger Games, Katniss or Peeta they belong to Suzanne Collins.**

I walk along the fence that guards district twelve until I come to a link that was left uncharged and loose enough for an average 14 year old girl to walk through. Once I shimmed through it I walk into the forest looking for a stone headstone with an epitaph that reads- Here lays an unknown traveler. She died saving her daughter – Mackenzie Maine. Died November 17th.

That was the only thing my mom had said before she died, my name. Not where we were from, not who she was, only me. She died on my birthday too, or the day everyone decided to make my birthday. I sit down on the stone that I placed there, as I visit regularly.

I have no memory of her she died when I was only a few months over a year old. Every once and a while I have flashbacks, of things that seem like dreams, or dreams of dreams. All involve fire and burning and screaming. Little things set me off so lets just say, my adoptive family doesn't light fire when I am around. My adoptive parents are Shirley and Timothy Donalds, I was there first "child," but not there last. I have two younger siblings-Luke and Zoe. Shirley and Timothy are their real parents. Luke is only a year younger than me Zoe is three years. I am a wanderer they say. They use to get mad at me for doing "bad" things like staying out late, but they soon decided it was not worth it, because I never listened. All that came back to me as I sat down. I don't now why exactly, but this just feels like a really bad, unlucky day. I pick up the slingshot I keep under the rock and start up into the forest. My bag of rocks swinging from my belt- which is just a strip of leather to help hold up big pants. Along with my bag of rocks a small knife hangs there, no one tries to stop me, either because they feel sorry for me, or because they don't think I can do any damage with it. That second one doesn't seem likely, because a lot of the time I spend at Katniss Everdeen's house. They have a heater, so when my parents truly need heat they send me there so to not crack with crazy memories.

Katniss taught me how to use a knife, but a slingshot was better, I could make it in my spare time so my memories can't creep their way in to my head, and I learned the slingshot on my own.

You see some call me independent, others call me rude, yet others inconsiderate but they all me the same thing, I survive without there helps and well wishes. Katniss and the Donalds were the only ones I some times accept help from. I nock down a couple squirrels and a good sized rabbit then start to head back leaving the animals unskinned- Luke was trying to learn how to skin animals. Even though I might come a cross as rude I really do love Zoe and Luke like they really were my siblings. They don't feel sorry for me- one of the main reasons I like them so much. As I walk back I'm shocked to see the town one-hundred percent empty, the seam always has at least a few people in it unless it the day of the… reaping. Oh no. Today is the reaping. I sigh, It doesn't even matter nobody would even truly care if I got picked… no parents to worry about there little darlings being murdered. I jog back the rest of the way to the little stone house. Shirley is there before me "Oh Mac I was worried"

"Shirley you know I always go out to hunt."

"Yes but not on the day of the reaping. I was so relieved when I saw you purple lights." That is what Shirley and Tim always call my eyes. I have bright purple eyes, again I am different, no one else has anywhere near the color of my eyes. I sigh and walk in the house, Zoe and Luke are in their best clothes and are excited to see all the animals.

"Mac are you gonna let me try to skin the rabbit?" Luke asks.

"No Luke, sorry but you don't know how to skin a rabbit." I say, but Luke is hardly fazed.

"Oh its okay maybe when you get more tan one rabbit I can practice, and Zoe can skin the squirrels." He exclaims.

"Yeah," I laugh, "We will do that." Shirley sends me off to get ready and I throw the animals on the back door step. I'll just have to do that after the reaping. I go into the tub of now warm water and scrub the layer of dirt and grim off my skin. Shirley has laid one of her old dresses out for me. I don't deserve to wear that, I think. I had one of my dresses aside for reaping I call through the door to Shirley about it.

"If you don't wear my dress, I'll think you hate it." Is all she says back. How do I get myself into this, I think. The one family I hate to see get hurt is the one that uses it against me! I giggle a little, but then remember the feeling I had this morning. Unlucky, what is going to happen today? But I kind of know the answer to that question, even if I can't put my fingertip on it.

When I am all ready Zoe runs up to me and gives me a hug. She may be eleven but she understands so much more, and so much more scares her. "It's gonna be okay Zoe, you're not going to the Hunger Games," I say to her. She only nods and holds on tighter. She is a girl of very few words, even to her parents and friends. We walk out and instantly I see Zeke. I HATE that kid. All he does is pick on kids younger smaller than him (and some _are _older than him). Zeke is 15 and HUGE! I don't know how a kid who lives in the seam could get that big. Its like he eats whole cows! He walks over toward Zoe, one of his favorites to pick on, slides farther behind me and me. I squeeze her arm reassuringly. Then turn towards Zeke, for someone so big he sure is fast and quiet. "Hey Mackenzie, Hey Zoe, how are you on this fine day?" he mocks. "Shut it Zeke." I spit at him, he normally doesn't contradict me, whether he respects me or is threatened by me is up to him, whether he picks on Zoe or not is up to me. "Back off she's upset enough for one day."

"Awwww is someone scared over the reaping today?" Zeke says in mock sympathy.

"SHUT UP!" I scream. When Katniss and Peeta had their Hunger Games the districts almost rebelled. This caused district thirteen to revel themselves. The capitol bombed them and added two years on to the Hunger Games. Ages eleven through nineteen go in now, instead of twelve to eighteen. So in short this is Zoe's first reaping. I drag Zoe away, but its to late she's shaking hard. I rub her back and lead her to the areas roped off. I leave her in the one for eleven year olds and go to the one for people aged fourteen. Nearly everyone has filled in and Effie Trinket is standing up on the stage, with Katniss and Peeta a little behind. Katniss gives me a quick smile and turns to face the crowds with a steady look that she reserves for the Hunger Games. That look is more like a glare. Katniss says we are a lot alike, no real parents, because her dad died and because her mom is never home. She is now living in the Capitol as a nurse. Punishment she says, because she won the games, and because Peeta won with her. Prim still lives with in twelve, but she lives in a place she calls Prim's Apothecary. She really lives alone, like me. I live in the woods, where I was found and where my only family rests. I am so preoccupied by my thoughts that I Don't realize the mayor, Mayor Undersee is telling us the usual story about the districts, with the little new added history with the almost second rebellion and the two extra years. It drones on and on and I am almost asleep on my feet until Effie comes on the stage and says her signature, "_May the odds be ever in your favor!" _I know I should hate her because she's from the capitol, but with that stupid accent its kinda hard to. She walks over to the containers with the girls' names and pulls one out. I hear a shocked silence, and a hand pushing me forward. I don't realize what's happening, until I get the slip of paper that reads Mackenzie Maine.


	3. The Goodbyes

Let the Games Begin.

**Thank you So much fans of this fiction! I am so happy you all like this story! I am soooo sorry it took so long to update. **

**HERES THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

I don't really register the meaning of the little piece of paper until I look behind me to see Katniss; she's the only one I trust to explain what's going on. My mind is in some sort of a melt down. It's slowing down, like some sort of breakdown. I look behind me and see Katniss staring at me and – wait hold that thought- why am I up on the stage? I look in front of me and see everybody looking upset. I look down at the sheet of paper in my hand again and everything registers. I am going to the 83rd Hunger Games. No how are Zoe and Luke going to take me dieing. I am not coming back, and Luke doesn't even know how to skin a rabbit! I am abandoning them when they need me. Zoe isn't going to have some one to protect her from Zeke. Speaking of the gosh-darn jerk. Here he comes strutting up the stairs of the stage like he owns the fudging place. Again wait. He's coming up the stairs? _He's _coming up the stairs. He's _coming up the stairs! _No. Why him? I mean no offense, but the dude's a giant! I am literally dead standing here. We turn and shake hands, and he's grinning like crazy. Gosh I hate that kid.

I was brought into a room and sat down on a plush couch. I am still in shock, but I shouldn't be. I knew from the beginning that today was a bad day. One of my memories envelops me:  
><em>I am in a crib; a woman dressed in a gray outfit is in the room. She leans over me and looks at me with happy purple eyes. She picks me up and twirls me around in circles and I laugh. A man runs into the room, screaming. I can't understand the words, but the woman looks scared. She drops me into the crib again, and the man runs out. The woman starts throwing clothes and some food into a bag, then throws it over her shoulder. She comes back to the crib just as the man comes back. He walks over to her and gives her and me a hug. They look sad, and the woman with me leaves the man behind in the room alone.<em>

I wake myself up as the door is opening. Shirley, Timothy, Luke and Zoe all come in. Zoe rushes to me and gets m in a bear hug, I feel her whole body racking with sobs. It's not fair, I think, that I should put them through this much pain. Both my parents are crying too. I rub Zoe's back and try to calm her down. No one says anything; that is until Luke freaks out. "MAC, YOU CAN'T LEAVE!" he shouts. "You can't die, you're my sister. I…I love you." After the last words come out he starts to cry.

"Hey, hey…" I pull him and Zoe into a hug. "I don't want to go, but I will not go down without a fight. Okay guys, I'll try to win."

"BUT ZEKE IS A MONSTER!" Luke shouts, more angry than sad. He is about to start yelling when Zoe starts to talk.

"Mac, will you promise me you'll come back?" she asks quietly.

"Zoe, why would you want me to promise? I'm gonna try." I tell her. She waits a couple seconds and then says

"It worked for Prim and Katniss." I never mentioned, she idolizes Prim and Katniss, mainly Prim, because of her awesome nursing skills. But she also admires Katniss, for her determination. She always wears a Mockingjay necklace, but she keeps it snuck under her shirt.

"Yeah, Z I promise." I tell her. I don't want to see her hurt, not while I can prevent it a little longer.

"Then I'll give you this." She hands me a box with a blue ribbon. "And you can wear it as your token." I take the box, and open it. Inside is a Mockingjay necklace just like hers, but not. It has a shorter chin, one that is meant to be seen.

"Oh, Zoe I love it, it's just like yours." I tell her.

"It is meant to have different places for you to clasp it. You know, a necklace a bracelet, and an anklet." She explains. "Which ever you like."

"Thank you Zoe."

"It's a different kind of metal, Prim helped me. It has a special quality, one you'll have to figure out on the long nights of the hunger games."

"Can't you just tell me?" I ask.

"No, you have to find out what it does." She responds. I can't argue with that face, so I let it drop.

"Okay." I chock out.

"I love you Mackenzie. I love you." The guards are in the room dragging out Shirley and Tim. They call to me but the guards are yelling. Luke is kicking and screaming, and Zoe isn't letting go of my waist. I hold on to her, but the peacekeeper is stronger. They drag her away and she starts to cry again. "Don't break your promise Mackenzie, I love you!" She's at the door.

"I promise Zoe," The door closes. "I love you, too." I feel m tears threatening to break through. I was wrong. There is a family to miss me and worry about me. I wish there wasn't now, but there always was. I allow one single tear to drop to the floor and then straighten up. I AM GOING TO WIN. I think. I am going to kill. With that thought, I can't keep the tears back they come poring over. _I _am going to _kill_.

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	4. The Train

Let the Games Begin

**THANK YOU so much for the reviews I love you people sooooo much you don't understand!**

**Disclaimer: I do not have to awesome right of owning the Hunger Games or its characters.**

I am lead out of my room and through the streets. People line up and watch us go by, with sad eyes. One person is even crying, and it is her that breaks through the crowds and screams, "Thank you Mackenzie!" And then is lead away by the guards. What the heck? What is _that _supposed to mean? I am ushered into the train as the peacekeepers close the door. I turn around just as the doors close and the people are all holding out three fingers to me. I sigh. Why does everyone care? It is just making it harder to go and be strong.

"So Mackenzie you ready to die?" Zeke whispers in my ear. How I wish I could just be alone for a minute.

"Stuff your mouth with rubber Zeke." I tell him. Me and my colorful comments.

"Aww, Mackenzie, I'm hurt." He says in mock pain. Right about then I want to literally go find some liquid rubber pour it in his mouth and dry it. But since I can't really say that on TV I try to ignore him. Key Word: Try. "Come on Mackenzie you know your going to die. I can help you with that. Real soon. Or, if you want we can have fun before…" Okay, so it might just be me but that sounded really wrong.

"Okay, since you don't understand rubber how 'bout if you do not leave me alone I will tell the whole world how you asked out Megan Miller, was rejected and then passed out. Oops, to late." I say in mock sorryness. He looks pissed! He stomps off while as soon as his back is turned I start cracking up. The idiot. There's no one in our town named Megan Miller. How stupid can you get?

I start to make my way around the train, but my path is blocked, by Katniss.

"Hey, Mac," She says. I only allow her and my adoptive family to call me Mac. If others do, well I don't hear it, remember, I carry a knife.

"Hi Katniss," I say trying to smile, but I started thinking about Zoe and Luke.

"You okay?" she asks, but I can't answer. It all caught up. One and twenty four chance I was coming home. I wasn't skilled enough to win. I would die the first night. Most of all I am shocked that I am…not shocked. I am not surprised at all I was picked. Its almost like people want me dead. The first night I was brought into the Donald's a brick was thrown in their window. With a note that I couldn't read, but found later, it said

_Either she goes now or she goes later. You pick._

It didn't have a date, but my "parents" told me about it. Then Tim lost his job in the mines. It took a long time for him to get a new one. No one would take him in. They acted scared he had said. And even though I would carry a knife if the peacekeepers saw me they either hit me or threatened me, but never anything more than that, and just me. Last, my name being reaped. It all felt connected, but… how? How do they all fit together? I can figure it out. Just like I can't figure out where I am.

I am in a black room lying down on a plush bed with blankets wrapped around me. Then Katniss walks in. She's always there.

"What happened? Where am I?" I blurt out.

"Calm down Mac. You had one of your episodes that's all." She says trying to calm me down. But I can tell, something's wrong.

"How long have I been out?" I demand. She doesn't respond. "How long!" I scream.

"One day." She says reluctantly.

"It wasn't one of my flashbacks it was a bunch of ones I remember completely. What happened?" I ask.

"I don't know really. You passed out. We brought you in here that's what happened." She tells me. No that's not what happened. So much more happened, just out of my sight.

* * *

><p>Katniss leaves me to get dressed. I find a pair of black jeans and a black leather jacket and black high top converse and stroll out into the hall, my hair swinging around the left side of my face from a side ponytail. Just to be clear I am not goth, I was just in the mood for black. I walk into the dining room and it is filled with all sorts of foods. Katniss is sitting down across from Zeke and next to Peeta. They all look up when I walk in and an Avox lays dow a bowl of Soup in front of me. I eat slowly, not wanting to get sick, but Zeke is doing the exact opposite. Chugging it down. I realize the point to what he is doing a few seconds later and do the same. Katniss is finished by then too and asks me to go with her. I do.<p>

We sit down on a couch in another part of the train, and Katniss asks, "What are going to do with you for the Hunger games?" That I truly cannot answer. I one question nagging at the back of my mind. What am I going to do?


	5. AN

Hey Faithful Readers of my fanfics! I was just going to notify you guys that on top of a major writers block it is the beginning of Lent. Some of you may not know what that is, but it is a catholic holiday that goes from Ash Wednesday to Easter. So I regret to say I am giving up the computer and will not be able to update until Easter. I am sorry, but promise to update within two days after Easter! I apologize to keep you guys hanging!

HAPPY EASTER!

_mchammer4


	6. The Capitol

Let The Games Begin.

The Capitol.

I don't know. I _really_ don't know. I am a nobody. I can do nothing. I am…me? How did I end up in the Hunger Games? Katniss is still waiting for my answer. I try to tell her something but can't. Words just won't form on my lips. "Come on Mackenzie, what else can you do? You know the bow, and knife! But we don't have any strategy for you. And I have nothing to do for you. We need something extraordinary for you this year. I know you to well; I am so close I can't see. Or at least I think that's the saying? It's been a long time since I felt that way." She finishes and stares off into space. We sit in silence for a while, until she realizes what she is doing. "We need to think about what you _should_ know, because you know so much from me-too much. You can't come out to the world knowing everything about the Hunger Games- it would seem too odd. I can't think of how you should come across either! I can't think of anything to do for you! Should you be nice? Sexy? Bad ass?" Katniss all-but yells.

"This is the Katniss the Hunger Games makes. This is not the Katniss that taught me how to use the bow and knife." I whisper. I don't know what made me say it. Her yelling at me about things I don't understand, no can't understand, because I haven't been through it ever before.

"I'm sorry Mac, but you remind me of myself so much. And I have made it through twice already, I am not betting I can make it happen a third time.'' Katniss tries to make me look at her. "Mac… Mackenzie." I can't believe it! She basically just said she thinks I'm going to die!

"I'm sorry, but I DON'T KNOW!" I can't control the anger any more. I think of all her achievements. "You might be able to be a girl on fire. You…you might be able to push past the heat people throw at you…" My eyes fill with moisture while I try to explain my anger. She's the girl on fire, and she can show it, but she can also extinguish it at the perfect times. She knows the perfect combination of humility and strength. I know just rage and sorrow. "You might be able to do this, but…but I can't… I don't know how." I fall onto my knees and start to cry. Pretty soon my whole body is racking with sobs.

"Mac, I'm sorry-" I cut her off.

"No your not, your part of the capitol. Just leave me alone." She looks hurt, but gets up and leaves. This doesn't make sense- I don't make sense. Why am I doing this? I shouldn't get mad at Katniss! She's trying to keep me alive. The president wants this and I will not be apart of their mental games even if I have to participate in the Hunger Games.

I get up and walk into another car. I am starting to go back to my room when Zeke all the sudden blocks my path.

"Hey Mac." I start to growl at him, and my hand automatically goes to where my knife should be hanging.

"What do you want?" I spit at him. Realizing I don't have any weapons to defend myself with. Zeke is too big for me to fight with without my knife.

"Oh nothing, nothing nig at least. Just… Welcome to the Capitol, the place of your death."

The capitol was like something of a dream to me. It was so…surreal. Tall buildings, with no holes in the roofs or windows boarded up, people wearing bright colorful clothing and abnormal hairstyles and body art. It was so different. I felt like I was in a new world.

The train stopped at the station and Zeke and I were to get off at. As soon as the train stopped we were ushered out. The station itself was a wonder. I had never seen such a big space just for trains! The building was designed with a really modern taste. Stainless steel walls, flat with no catches, and floors, smooth as ice it was a wonder nobody fell. And it was so neat! How was this and district 12 even in the same planet much less 120 miles away? We were pushed into two separate cars, Katniss with me in one, Peeta with Zeke in the other. I felt bad I hadn't talked to Peeta once, and he seems so shy and sweet. We drove for 15 minutes but were not allowed to see through our tinted windows. Again we were pushed and pulled through rows of people as soon as we escaped the confinement of the car. I only caught a fleeting glance at the building we were to be staying at, but it was enough to know it to had much splendor. We then walked into an elevator with twelve different floor buttons for twelve different districts. Us being from district twelve got the twelfth floor or the penthouse.

The rooms were beyond anything I had seen so far! It was huge with luxurious looking everything. Tall chairs surrounding a long table obviously expensively made to seem worn, and a large crystal chandelier hanging above. Behind a corner was a sitting room filled with two single chairs, a love seat and a couch, all plush and comfy looking. It was all I could do not to run and jump on the couch.

The next place I explored was the long hallway, there were several doors heading off into what I assumed must be the bedrooms. I continued down the hall reading the names painted on the doors: _Katniss, Peeta _(their names slightly worn, looking as if they had been painted for several years.) My opponent's name looking freshly painted in green over a dark door- _Zeke Jacob Hayler_. The last door within the hallway held something unexpected. I rubbed my fingers over the smooth light purple painted words that were my name: _Mackenzie May Maine. _I had never heard my middle name, no one had. I rubbed my hand over the swirling cursive letters. Subconsciously I repeated the name, it sounded right. When I got up the courage to open the door, I was still repeating my name as if I would forget it too soon. Then I heard it again, but not from my mouth.

"Mackenzie May Maine," It was whispered again and again coming from what seemed every corner of the room. I spun around in circles trying to find out where the sound was coming around. It grew louder and louder, until I couldn't stand it any more. I stopped spinning, dropped to my knees and covered my ears. _How can no one hear this?_ I thought. As soon as I finished the thought the room went silent. It was an eerie quiet, one of waiting. I slowly stood up my hands in front on me incase something jumped out. I watch the Games before, and nearly everyone included a mutt of some sort and wanted to be ready if anything jumped out. When I really started to freak out a mechanical voice called out.

"Mackenzie May Maine, I know who you really are," You could tell the voice was mechanically changed so I couldn't recognize the voice. The words had yet to take hold in my mind. "You will die soon, don't believe otherwise. Come to the roof at midnight the night before the games." I thought the message was done but the added a last minute thought, "Oh… and if you don't show up, or someone comes with you little Luke and Zoe might just not make it to after the games either."

And the voice was done. I was really unaware of the meaning of the words until a minute later. Then everything sunk in and I collapsed, started sobbing, and couldn't stop. What would they do to me? They could easily kill me and cover it up. Or worse, they could tell me who I really am. I couldn't handle it I don't want to know. Sometimes knowledge is not the answer, sometimes learning is wrong. The truth can hurt and you can be lost. All you believe can be questioned and you turn into something else. But I had to go. For Luke. For Zoe. They deserve better than what they are given, they deserve a long prosperous life full of happiness.

I couldn't take that life away from them. I picked myself off of the floor making sure my emotions and mind were completely in check and ready. I walked out in the hall ready to my friends, but what I was faced with was worse.

Gone was the luxurious penthouse I was to stay at. The doors, the chairs, the tables, the friends, they had all disappeared. Gone. I was alone. I ventured out deeper into the unknown chamber, for it was this or going back and peacefully waiting to be returned to the penthouse. The latter just seemed to be a waste of precious time because time was running out, literally. The cement wall in front of me was counting down. 7…6…5… I know normally a backwards count down is something to be avoided but it didn't seem dangerous. 4…3…2… I braced myself in case I was about to go flying. 1…0… Nothing. Nothing was happening? What is the point of having a count down if nothing happens? I walked along the walls running my hands over the obviously antique dust and grime. The last wall in the perfect square was different; I could feel it humming slightly. As if it were alive. And all of the sudden it was. White light pierced my eyes; blinding me for a few seconds. I had no idea what was going on so instead I tried to blink away the spots in my vision.

A silent movie was playing. It was a man, a man I recognized but didn't know- the man from my dreams. He was fighting with a sword and knife, trying to distract several men in white from a woman with a baby in her arms. The baby looking over the mother's shoulders as they ran away. I baby with big purple eyes. I realized the white-suited men were peacekeepers. I looked away as he was shot with an arrow in the shoulder. They had easily bore down on the other man as they had arrows and guns. He whispered something before the head peacekeeper shot him through the heart mercilessly. The men disregarded him and ran after the woman, who was long gone baby and all. The man had done his job and was now dead after all he did.

The man must have been protecting the baby in the woman's arms; it was the only reason I could think of. The baby with purple lights. Me. I bet if you turned the woman around you would see the same features that haunt me in my sleep. My guardian, my mother, my savior. And the dead man, my guardian, my father, my protector.

I had many questions and absolutely no answers. One of the most frequently thought was: Why were the peacekeepers after me and how do they know it's me? I was distraught so I collapsed in confusion and for what seemed like the fifth time today, I was on the ground. But this time I felt a needle sink into my arm and saw the world around me fade into black.

**OMG SOOOO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! It seems like its been foreva, but its been like 5 months. I apologize to my faithful readers... i had a huge writers block.**

**I wanna know if paragraph 4 made any sense to any of you? it seemed a bit confusing? Anywho i really hope you enjoyed it!**

**Please review even hough im not sure i deserve it after such a long wait.. you'll be my bestist friend if you do... (hammsters can be replaced guys!)**

**Lots of Love**

**MCHAMMER!**


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